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Category: 13. Marketing Yourself

  • Why Every Agent Should Become a Geo Farmer

    Why Every Agent Should Become a Geo Farmer

    When I started my career as a brand new agent, I had ZERO clients and ZERO prospects. 

    But I didn’t just sit around waiting for the phone to ring. My previous business experience taught me that if I wanted success, I first needed excellent systems and procedures. So I worked on those.

    I also took time to have some fun by previewing properties every day.

    After a while, I developed a system where I kept track of every property I saw, noted its strengths and weaknesses, and guessed the future sale price. I was way off at first, of course, but the more I did this and the more I improved my system, the more accurate I became. 

    Aside from becoming the Area Expert, I learned many other skills, including becoming a Pricing Expert. It’s surprising what you can learn by concentrating your energy in one particular area.

    And once I figured out the next steps (demonstrating my newfound expertise), it started to pay off in commission cheques. This happened quite naturally, without any preconceived plan on my part. I just learned these skills by fluke, more than anything.

    Even though it took me months to complete my first transaction, I ended up earning $186,000 in my first year, then $590,000 in my second year, and my career took off from there. But here’s the critical point:

    By consistently looking at hundreds of properties and following a simple system, I turned myself into an EXPERT. Then, I learned how to leverage that expertise into commission cheques, which is easy once you learn a few more simple skills.

    This is why I believe strongly that every agent should become a Geo Farmer, but not the prevailing definition of a Geo Farmer, which seems to be “the agent who spends the most money marketing themself.” 

    My definition of being a Great Geo Farmer has nothing to do with spending the most money. It’s about gaining the most knowledge.

    This is why the first module of my course (The Agent Skills Master’s Program) is all about Geo Farming: How to identify the best farm for you, how to get started, how to become the Undisputed Area Expert in a matter of a few weeks, and how to then leverage your newfound knowledge.

    There’s much to learn in becoming a highly successful real estate agent, but it’s surprisingly easy to become the #1 most knowledgeable agent in a particular area. Even a brand new agent can become the legitimate #1 expert in any area they choose with a little effort. I’m living proof.

    Once you are the #1 most knowledgeable agent in a particular area, you’ll be surprised how much easier this business becomes, how much more confidence you have, and how you can apply the skills you’ve learned to many other areas of your practice. 

    But let’s return to the fact that you’re now the #1 most knowledgeable agent in a particular area.

    Now you’ve got something of real value to talk about!

    I like the idea of becoming an expert in the area where you live because this is where you meet the most people, including your neighbours, other parents from your kid’s school and sports teams, or even just doing a little laptop time at your local coffee shop. You should be constantly seeking out ways to meet more people.

    Once people learn that you’re a real estate agent, it’s easy to demonstrate your expertise because everyone is curious about what’s happening in the market within their community.

    For example, someone mentions a new listing on Mulberry Street. This is an easy opening for you to chip in your two cents (both pros and cons). You’re able to speak knowledgeably about it with authority. Why? Because you’ve already seen it! You viewed it the day it was listed (or the day after), which means you’ve got way more information than anyone else who has merely seen the listing on MLS.

    Do you know how powerful this is when chatting with people at an Open House? Or even more so at a listing presentation? 

    After a few weeks, you’ve seen ALL the active listings and EVERY recently sold listing!

    And, by the way, NONE of your competitors can say this because they’re too lazy to do the work.

    You probably won’t see an instant return on your investment of time, but one day, you’ll surprise yourself with the volume of knowledge you’ve accumulated and how it pays off in the most unexpected ways. Keep it up, and the benefits will compound over time.

    Over the years, I’ve quit doing this, started it again, then got lazy and stopped doing it again. But every time I start doing it again, I’m pleasantly reminded of why I do it, and before I know it, it starts paying off again!

    Writing this post is just what I needed to incorporate this into my daily routine once again. What about you?

  • How to End the Vicious “Lead Chasing” Cycle Forever

    How to End the Vicious “Lead Chasing” Cycle Forever

    Every once in a while, I run into a REALTOR® I “know” but whom I’ve never met. 

    You know what I mean. I’ve chatted with them on the phone; maybe done a deal or two with them over the years, but we’ve never met face-to-face.

    They usually recognize me before I recognize them, primarily because of this newsletter.

    Mostly, they’re complimentary and tell me they “love my stuff,” etc. I’m sure some are just being polite, but I feel like most are genuine.

    This leads to more conversation and then the inevitable question:

    “That’s all great, but what do you recommend to get more leads?”

    I’m basically dumbstruck at this point because I realize they just don’t get it.

    Here’s what I feel like saying (but I don’t):

    If you do your job right, you don’t need to chase after cold leads!

    This is honestly how I feel, even though it often seems like the entire real estate “coaching industry” is against me.

    It’s been the same since I was a brand new agent, and I’m sure long before that. Coaching seems to always focus on “how to get business” rather than “how to be a great agent.”

    Let’s be clear. I’m not oblivious to the fact that the biggest challenge for most agents is how to get more business. It’s just how to get more business where we disagree.

    I’m going to segue here to prove a point. There’s a video going around social media that asks, “Would you rather have a million dollars right now? Or would you rather have one penny and double it every day for 30 days?”

    Spoiler alert: If you double the value of a penny every day for 30 days, it works out to $5,368,709.12 (or 536,870,912 pennies).

    So, here’s a twist on the question, “What if you started with one client, and you double them 30 times (not necessarily every day)?” In other words, you get two referrals from every client. 

    Same answer. You’d have 536 million clients.

    Of course, this is impossible. Not because you can’t get two referrals from any individual client if you really wanted to, but rather because it would be impossible to continue providing the exceptional level of service required to get those referrals! 

    Also, you can’t have more clients than people.

    But what if you could maintain a level of 50 or 100 clients? You’d only need two (or more) referrals from a few of your clients to do that. Maybe some refer you once, some not at all, but a few send you two or more.

    This is perfectly feasible and, in fact, relatively easy, if you have the right mindset. I’ll segue one more time to prove it.

    Think about one of your best referral sources, first name. Forget about a mere two referrals. These folks have sent you a dozen or more referrals over the years! 

    Why? Because they had a fantastic experience with you. You had great communication with them, and they followed your advice to a tee. The results made you look like a superstar. 

    OK, fine! But what about all the people with whom you haven’t had great communication, didn’t follow your advice, and the results were far less than great?

    That’s on you!

    Every time I hear a REALTOR® complaining that their clients just wouldn’t listen…

    You think you won’t get far better results and, therefore, way more referrals by putting in the effort to improve your skills, including (but not limited to) communication and persuasive skills?

    I’m dumbstruck, again.

    Of course, improving your skills doesn’t happen by magic. You can’t just concentrate really hard and suddenly have better skills. It takes commitment and effort.

    But just remember this fundamental truth:

    You don’t get referrals by asking. You get them by deserving.

    If you want to deserve more leads, you must shift your mind away from chasing leads and towards developing your skills and becoming outstanding at what you do. 

    “But, Ted! Why can’t I do both?”

    Because the time and effort spent chasing after cold leads takes away from the time and effort needed to improve your skills, thereby creating exceptional experiences and results for your existing clients. 

    You want to chase leads? Go ahead, but if this is the choice you make for yourself, just know that you’ll always need to do it.

    Personally, I choose to have a business with a never-ending stream of incoming referrals.

    The choice seems simple, obvious, and waaay more fun and rewarding.

  • What To Do if You Suck at Social Media

    What To Do if You Suck at Social Media

    If you’re one of the 1% of REALTORS® who is highly skilled at social media, congratulations! You should fully exploit this skill. 

    Always work with your strengths!

    However, if social media is frustrating for you, consider the possibility that you do NOT need to be a social media expert in order to be a great REALTOR®. 

    I know many agents who waste hundreds of hours attempting—quite unnaturally—to force themselves to become social media experts. Why? Because someone told them that social media is the magic pill that makes your life as a REALTOR® so much easier.

    First, there are no magic pills. Sorry. Not sorry.

    Second, becoming a social media expert takes a massive amount of time, effort, and a natural aptitude that few of us have.

    The truth is that social media makes a significant impact for a minuscule percentage of agents, while everyone else is spinning their wheels and going nowhere fast.

    There, I said it. 

    It’s like attempting to become a master motorcycle mechanic when you have no natural mechanical aptitude. I’ve thrown enough wrenches at walls to understand that I’ll probably always be a lousy mechanic, no matter how hard I try.

    Perhaps you should stop trying to learn a craft for which you have no natural aptitude?

    After all, social media has become a highly specialized and constantly evolving field. Even high-end ad agencies have different experts who concentrate strictly on either Paid or Organic Marketing for each different platform because each requires a unique skill set.

    Of course, you should have some kind of presence on social media, so go to ‘The Google’ or ‘The YouTube’ and learn the basics for FREE. 

    The basics may be as simple as adding a post about your new or recently sold listing or your upcoming open house. Even if these posts are on your personal profile, that’s perfectly fine so long as you post 80% non-business stuff. Remind your online friends that you’re a REALTOR®, but don’t make your feed all about business. If you do, they’ll learn to “auto-ignore” you.

    Perhaps the basics for you include doing some videos. If so, definitely do this, too! 

    However, beyond the basics, the Law of Diminishing Returns rears its ugly head, and you’ll stop getting the return you should expect compared to the effort put forth.

    After all, what’s the purpose of social media, anyway? It’s to get more business, right?

    News flash: There are hundreds of other ways to get more business. For example, ask yourself if you’re doing all of these things:

    1. Do you contact your past clients regularly? I reach out to my past clients (in various ways) three days after closing, then in one week, one month, six months, and every one-year anniversary. I have some specific systems and procedures I recommend in my course for this, but the main thing is to keep in touch, so you’re top-of-mind with your number one potential referral source—your past clients!

    2. Are you regularly meeting and connecting with new people through open houses, community involvement, or group memberships? And, if so, are you good at gently and effectively offering your services without being a Salesy Slickster?

    3. Do you have an effective monitoring system to follow up regularly with your future clients? Do you know how to be a VIP (Valuable Information Provider)?

    4. Do you have a personal website, and does it clearly communicate WHO you are, WHAT you stand for, and WHY the reader should hire you to represent them?

    5. Once you’ve made a connection, how’s your listing presentation? What’s your success rate at getting listings in a competitive environment against the local shark?

    I could easily add another hundred items to this list. And perhaps I’ve raised more questions than answers.

    But the point is that in Real Estate, there are numerous other skills you could be working on that are far more important than forcing yourself to become a social media expert, which is a lost cause for most agents, anyway. 

    So stop banging your head against the wall and consider concentrating on learning other skills that are far more fundamental to BEING a great agent. Then, once you learn how to demonstrate your expertise effectively, you’ll forget all about chasing the magic pill.

    You’ll need to book ‘Appointments with Yourself’ in order to learn and implement the various systems and procedures you need to be effective. 

    The good news is you’ll have much more time on your hands once you stop beating your skull against the wall.

  • How to Get More Clients by Demonstrating Your Expertise

    How to Get More Clients by Demonstrating Your Expertise

    Last RAM, I talked about How to Become the True Area Expert.

    If you followed my advice consistently for the past two weeks, you already know more than any other agent in town about your chosen Geo Farm area. 

    Amazing, right? What a massive difference a little effort can make!

    The next step is to learn how to demonstrate your expertise by getting face-to-face with as many future clients as possible.

    There are numerous ways to do this, including getting involved with various events and groups within your community. However, the #1 best way to meet future clients is still to consistently and effectively host Open Houses within your chosen Geo Farm area.

    Let me repeat the two keywords in that last sentence:

    Consistently and Effectively

    Most REALTORS® are neither consistent nor effective. And, most hate doing Open Houses. Why? Two main reasons:

    1. They behave like Salesy Slicksters without even realizing it. The last thing anyone wants is to get stuck talking to a Salesy Slickster.

    2. They feel awkward and underconfident in their skills, and that’s precisely how they come across. (Skills are earned; you don’t just get them by magic.) 

    In either case, these agents are better off staying at home rather than wasting their time at an Open House. After all, if you’re not going to make a positive impression, what’s the point? If you’re making a negative impression, you’re hurting yourself more than you’re helping.

    So, how do you become an Open House Expert? Well… TBH, I was reluctant to write this RAM because it’s impossible to learn this vital skill by reading a two-minute blog post.

    There’s an entire module in the Master’s Program dedicated to becoming ‘The Open House Expert,’ as well as other modules, such as ‘Relationship Selling’ and ‘Communication Styles.’ These and portions from several other modules provide a clear path to earning the skills you need to put on a hugely successful Open House. Eventually, you’ll be able to use Open Houses to pick and choose your future clients.

    We’re HALFWAY through 2022, and it’s Canada Day tomorrow! To celebrate, get the Agent Skills Master’s Program for HALF PRICE (until midnight, July 1). Simply use the discount code ‘CANADA155’. American readers, you can use the same code (it’s almost July 4!)

    As I said, it’s impossible to teach this in a two-minute blog post, but here are a few highlights:

    1. Consistency is the key. Ideally, you should be doing Open Houses within your Geo Farm at least once every two weeks during the spring, summer, and fall, so that people will start to recognize your name. 

    2. By concentrating your efforts within your Geo Farm, it will be easy to make positive impressions on future clients by demonstrating your deep knowledge of the listings within the community. Read this again: How to Become the True Area Expert. 

    3. Make your signs stand out from the crowd by using bold colours and a unique design. You want people to recognize that those are your signs.

    4. Invite the neighbours! I’m not a proponent of door knocking, except when you’re inviting neighbours to your Open House! This is a fantastic excuse to meet future clients face-to-face, and there are several techniques to make this fun and highly effective.

    5. As the Boy Scouts say, “Be prepared!” Do you know what turns people off at an Open House? When the host can’t answer a simple question, such as “How old is the hot water tank?” So make sure you brush up on all these odd questions that people ask, no matter how inconsequential you think they are.

    6. Find the right balance of confidence, authenticity, friendliness, and professionalism. Very few agents know how to achieve this. That’s why there’s an entire module dedicated to it in the Master’s Program.

    7. Understand that everyone communicates differently. If you’re communicating with everyone in your style, you’re missing out on making connections with three-quarters of your potential future clients.

    8. Don’t try to convert strangers to clients in one conversation. Developing a trusting relationship with your future clients is a multi-stage process. 

    9. Learn how to handle a room and concentrate your attention on the right people (the ones you want to work with).

    10. Learn how to easily and naturally get people’s contact information by establishing rapport and offering to send them valuable information that they can’t get anywhere else. Then learn how to follow up appropriately, without being annoying.

    That’s a lot of stuff. As I stated, you can’t learn it all in two minutes. But you could try to learn it on your own over the next few years for FREE (if you don’t count the lost commissions).

    Or take advantage of this offer. If you’re a procrastinator, I’ll probably offer this deal again in a few months. Or, you can learn not to be a procrastinator in the module “Getting Stuff Done!”

    We’re HALFWAY through 2022, and it’s Canada Day tomorrow! To celebrate, get the Agent Skills Master’s Program for HALF PRICE (until midnight, July 1). Simply use the discount code ‘CANADA155’. American readers, you can use the same code (it’s almost July 4!)

  • The Mega-Agent Illusion

    The Mega-Agent Illusion

    There’s a mega-agent in almost every major market.

    You know who I’m talking about; the slick dude (or gal) with the beaming smile plastered all over the billboards and the cheery voice emanating from every radio and TV station. 

    They often have the standard paid celebrity endorsement also: If I need a REALTOR® in ‘insert city name here,’ I would hire ‘insert agent name here.’ 

    Do they really think people are that gullible? I guess enough of them are.

    Of course, the mega-agent is always the #1 agent in town. This is determined by accumulating the total commissions earned from every agent on the mega-team (sometimes 50 or more) and then comparing that grand total against each individual agent, partnership, or small customer-service-focused team, within the specified market area. 

    Not exactly a fair or meaningful comparison. And yet, they boast about this like they’ve won an Academy Award or something.

    Of course, none of this is common knowledge to the general public or the unsuspecting rosy-faced newbie agent. Not knowing any better, the newbie gets sucked in by a powerful recruiting message from the famous mega-agent, enticing them to quit the struggle and join the biggest, most successful team in town, where life is always sugar plums and Lambo-Guzzis.

    The lure of team camaraderie and the opportunity to learn at the feet of the famous mega-agent is a compelling message. Unfortunately, it turns out that the training provided by the mega-team is mostly limited to two things:

    • How to recite scripts like a robot, and;
    • How to chase after leads generated by the mega-agent’s Internet lead-generating machine.

    If you’re willing to do this type of work, you’re hired!

    Actual real estate and customer service skills? Bah! Who needs those?

    Make no mistake; lead-generation—not real estate—is the mega-agent’s business, and they’re damn good at it. They spend hundreds of thousands of dollars annually on advertising (in some cases, millions), generating tens of thousands of Internet leads.

    Then, they try to convince the public that they’re spending all that money “marketing your home.” 

    Ha. Haha. Hahaha. Ya, it’s not very funny.

    Of course, we all know the money is being spent on marketing themselves and creating leads for the team members to chase. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! 

    Just please don’t insult my intelligence and try to convince me, as a potential seller, that you’re spending that marketing money for my benefit. 

    This type of misleading advertising is one of the biggest reasons why the public perceives REALTORS® as a bunch of bungling sleaze-bag amateurs, which is a real shame.

    And honestly, I feel terrible for those rosy-cheeked newbies who join the local mega-team and end up with a completely false sense of what it takes to be a successful agent.

    For more ranting and raving on this topic, check out this article published recently in Housing Wire: In Defense of the Individual Agent.

    If you want to achieve massive success in real estate, stop accepting that good enough is good enough. It’s not. And, here’s a message to you rosy-faced newbies: Forget about joining the Mega Team. That’s a highly stressful dead-end job. And make no mistake, it’s a job, not a career. There’s only one person who truly benefits from your hard work; the boss.

    Why not learn the skills it takes to build your own rewarding career? Learn more about the Agent Skills Master’s Program here.

    “The best investment you can make is an investment in yourself… The more you learn, the more you’ll earn.” — Warren Buffett

    Ted Greenhough

    I teach GOOD REALTORS® how to become GREAT REALTORS® with a simple, logical, easy-to-follow, easy-to-implement, inspirational step-by-step program.

    AgentSkills.com

    Knowledge + Action = Skill

  • The Prime Space on Your Website

    The Prime Space on Your Website

    Last week, I talked about How to Add Life to Your MLS Description.

    Potential buyers are flipping through many listings, and just like most everyone else in our fast-paced world, they have short attention spans. 

    To catch their attention, Step #1 is to have exceptional images. Step #2 is getting straight to the point and describing the property’s best features, preferably in the first sentence of your MLS description.

    This philosophy is remarkably similar to how you should present yourself on your website. Ask yourself this simple question:

    Does your website clearly articulate WHO you are, WHAT you stand for, and WHY your potential client should hire you?

    If not, perhaps you should reconsider the design of your website.

    Here’s another simple question:

    What is the most important part of your website?

    It’s the part at the top of your home page that is immediately visible when the user first lands there. 

    This is where you should have two things:

    1. A current awesome image of yourself and;
    2. Your Personal Brand Statement.

    Your Personal Brand Statement should briefly answer all the key who, what, and why questions I listed above. Here’s mine from when I was a full-time agent:

    “Hi, I’m Ted. Over the past 14 years, I’ve completed over 1,000 successful Real Estate transactions, one at a time, with care and concern to create the best possible result for each individual client. That’s why I’m proud to say that almost all my business comes from repeats and referrals.”

    It’s only 50 words, but it says a lot, right? Here’s another one I did for Suzy Seller. She’s the brilliant made-up agent I use throughout the Agent Skills Master’s Program:

    “Hi, I’m Suzy. For over ten years, I’ve continually improved my knowledge and skills, providing the best possible expert advice and service to each of my clients. As a result, I’m proud and honored that the majority of my business comes from my past clients referring their friends and family. If you’re looking for straightforward, honest Real Estate advice, please contact me.”

    That’s 62 words, still within the size range (50-75 words) that I recommend. Then, your site should have a “Learn More” button immediately below that links to your About Us page, where the reader can learn more details about you and your team.

    I’ve made Personal Brand Statements for other agents. Each one is unique because it has to honestly reflect your personality and contain the subtle but powerful message you want to get across. Most importantly, it must answer those key “who, what, and why” questions.

    The #1 Mistake Agents Make on Their Website

    The biggest mistake I see most agents make on their website is wasting that prime space at the top of the home page on one of these two things:

    1. A stock image of a happy couple/cool kitchen/fancy exterior. It looks nice, but who cares? This is like paying for a TV commercial and wasting the first 15 seconds showing pretty pictures of things that have nothing to do with the product you are selling (you).
    2. A search tool. OK, if you’re going to spend piles of money on generating terrible Internet leads, go ahead. But that’s the antithesis of what I teach. Honestly, why are you even reading this?

    Your website should be the place that people go to find out about you. 

    If your current website isn’t performing this primary function, watch for Agent Skills Websites, coming soon, including your own Personal Brand Statement carefully hand-crafted to your satisfaction by yours truly!

    We’re still in development, and it will still be a few weeks before we’re ready to launch. But if you’re interested, simply reply to this email, and I’ll keep you informed.

    Having a powerful website that describes who you are, what you stand for, and why clients should hire you is one important way to build a business that thrives on a never-ending stream of incoming referrals— the foundational doctrine of the Agent Skills Master’s Program.

    This article was inspired by module #13 – Marketing Yourself – part of the Agent Skills Master’s Program. 

    In ‘Marketing Yourself,’ I explain step-by-step how to create a simple but highly effective website, write a powerful personal brand statement, get and leverage testimonials, and create a powerful strategy to maximize the benefits of both organic and paid social media.

    Here’s another article inspired by the same module: The HUB of Your Marketing

  • The Greatest Marketing Tool in the World (and it’s FREE!)

    The Greatest Marketing Tool in the World (and it’s FREE!)

    Merry Christmas!

    In the spirit of the season, and since I caught your curiosity with my catchy title, I won’t make you read this entire article before I reveal The Greatest Marketing Tool!

    Here it is:

    It’s you!

    It’s how you interact with people.

    You could spend tens of thousands on splashy advertising and not get nearly the same results as you can get from one single face-to-face interaction.

    The face-to-face interaction is the most powerful form of advertising there is.

    I’ll give an example in a minute about how you can make $100,000 or more, beginning with a single positive face-to-face interaction. But first, know this:

    I’m an introvert. I’m seriously jealous of Expressive personality types, those who have a giant smile plastered to their face all the time, and who can seemingly strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere, any time. 

    I used to HATE doing Open Houses. I felt awkward and self-conscious and fake.

    I had a hard time carrying on a conversation, and I wasn’t very successful at converting prospects to clients, or even getting their contact information.

    I felt like a fish out of water, and I’m sure that’s the exact impression I gave people.

    But I was committed to my new career, so I did a few different things that completely changed my attitude and results.

    1. I turned myself into the Area Expert. This was far easier than it sounds, and it dramatically improved my confidence.

    2. I studied personality styles, learning how to communicate better to different people in the style they preferred.

    3. I learned about my own style’s strengths and weaknesses and how to access my less dominant traits, bringing them to the surface when needed. 

    I learned to enjoy doing Open Houses by making a game out of it. The game was to make a deep personal connection with as many people as possible and convert them from prospects to clients.

    As difficult as this was before, it suddenly became easy!  And get this… Fun!

    I learned to enjoy my interactions with all different kinds of people, dramatically reducing my stress and becoming far more successful at the same time.

    It’s not to say there aren’t certain people who will always drive you crazy, no matter what.

    But here’s a golden nugget of wisdom for you:

    When you take the time to develop your interpersonal skills to ‘Expert’ status, you get to pick and choose the clients you enjoy the most.

    In the latter half of my full-time Real Estate career, I only worked with people when there was a high degree of mutual respect, and genuine enjoyment of each other.

    If you haven’t guessed it already, here’s how I turned a single interaction into $100,000 or more, numerous times.  

    In each case, it started by making a solid first impression at an Open House.

    And then… 

    Referrals from referrals from referrals…

    To me, doing Real Estate any other way just seems so darn hard.

    I’m too lazy to do things the hard way.

    This article was inspired by module #3 – The Open House Expert – part of the Agent Skills Master’s Program. 

    In the ‘Open House Expert’ module, I explain step-by-step how to build a reputation as a friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable Real Estate professional. It’s not as hard as might think to master the art of the face-to-face interaction, and easily and naturally obtain contact information from prospective clients.

    Here’s another article inspired by the same module: The One Time You Should Door Knock

  • The HUB of Your Marketing and WHY it Sucks

    The HUB of Your Marketing and WHY it Sucks

    I don’t know for certain that your website sucks, but 99% of REALTOR® sites do, so it’s a reasonable assumption.

    Sorry. Not sorry.

    ——————–

    Here’s an example of how critically important your website is:

    You sold your last listing quickly, for a great price! Your clients think you’re the greatest and recommend you to their friend, Ricky-Bobby.

    Does Ricky-Bobby call you immediately?

    Nope!

    First, he consults ‘The Google.’ He wants to gather some Intel before he calls anyone.

    Wouldn’t you?

    ——————–

    What will he find? What is your online presence? 

    (Hopefully, you’ve got several glowing Google reviews, at least. But that’s another topic.)

    After a bit of sleuthing, Ricky-Bobby locates your website. Now, ask yourself:

    Does your website clearly articulate WHO you are, WHAT you stand for, and WHY your potential client should hire you?

    No?

    It’s confirmed. Your website sucks.

    ——————–

    Ricky-Bobby looks at your website, and he’s massively unimpressed.

    He decides to call your arch-enemy Gil Thorpe.

    Gil sells the property for top dollar and collects a sweeeet commission. 

    But you’re not mad. You know why?

    Because you have no clue that listing could have been yours. 

    ——————–

    How many times has this happened to you?

    Fifty? A hundred?

    There’s no way to know how many potential clients almost called but didn’t.

    If this gives you anxiety, that’s good news!

    Maybe now you’ll finally do something about your sucky website.

    ——————–

    Oh, wait. You thought I was going to tell you HOW to fix your website in this tiny blog post?

    That’s impossible. Stop looking for magic pills. They don’t exist.

    But here’s an important hint. (Sorry if this is repetitive, but it needs to sink in):

    Does your website clearly articulate WHO you are, WHAT you stand for, and WHY the potential client should hire you?

    No? Okay, start there.

    Remember, your website is the HUB of all your marketing efforts. It’s where people go to find out more about you. 

    You need to give them the information they want in a way that makes them think, “This is the person I want to hire.”

    ——————–

    Here’s a “side-story” about the origin of this blog post:

    When I was writing the Agent Skills Master’s Program, it wasn’t simply about spewing what I already knew. I mean, that was the foundation of it, but I knew that wasn’t enough.

    I felt a deep personal responsibility to master each skill, far beyond what I already knew. This took thousands of hours of study AFTER I stopped being a full-time agent.

    Then I had to learn how to be an effective teacher. 

    I spent thousands of additional hours figuring out how to deliver the content in a way that was easy to absorb.

    When you pour your heart into something, every once in a while, you have an epiphany.

    The biggest epiphany I experienced while writing this course was in module #13 – Marketing Yourself.

    I suddenly realized that I had invented the Perfect Real Estate Website!

    It’s all described in detail inside the course, but I’m so excited about it, I’m considering expanding Agent Skills and offering bespoke websites incorporating the simple but powerful design that I invented, including a customized Personal Brand Statement that I personally write for you.

    If this is something you might be interested in, please send me a quick note, and I’ll let you know more details if I decide to move forward with it.

    Whether I proceed with expanding the business depends on the level of interest, but I’ve already got three-quarters of my students signed up, which makes me happy and excited!

    Send me an email at ted@agentskills.com, and I’ll add you to the list.

  • The Bus Bench Conundrum

    The Bus Bench Conundrum

    “To bus bench, or not to bus bench? That is the question.”  – Ted Greenhough

    OK. It’s not quite as profound as Hamlet’s soliloquy.

    But massively more important from a REALTOR® perspective!

    In my market, a single one-year bus bench contract costs more than the entire Agent Skills Master’s Program!

    (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

    But seriously, are bus benches worth the expense, or NOT?

    It depends. Let’s look at two extreme scenarios.

    Scenario 1 – You plunk down a single bus bench in a part of town where nobody has ever heard of you, and you don’t do ANY other marketing in the area.

    In this case, you’re better to gather up your money and burn it. At least then, you won’t have the painful experience of paying for that bench ad every single month and getting ZERO return on your investment.

    Not like the massive return you’ll get on the Agent Skills Master’s Program.

    Oops! Sorry again! OK, I’ll stop now.

    Scenario 2 – You place 3-4 benches in high-traffic locations within your Geo Farm area. People recognize you from your Open House signs, For Sale signs, and other marketing you do in the neighborhood.

    In this case, your bus bench ads serve as a constant reminder of your status as the Area Expert. It’s just one component of your overall marketing plan, but it’s a critical piece.

    Here’s how it works in practice:

    Sammy drives by your bus bench every day, but he never pays it any attention. Why?

    Because he’s not in the market!

    Until he is. Now, Sammy can’t help but notice your bus bench ad, every day.

    This is the way our brains work. We see things that our brains are attuned to seeing.

    (That’s why you notice everyone else’s bus bench ad.)

    So, Sammy starts noticing your bench. Then he realizes he’s seen your name all over the neighborhood on your For Sale signs, Open House signs, and aren’t you the agent who sends that flyer every month?

    Sammy calls you, you list and sell the house, help him buy another home, and get three referrals.

    Cha-ching!

    That’s how it’s supposed to work. And it does IF it’s part of your overall marketing strategy.

    ————————————-

    Remember that bus bench ads must be clearly legible and easy to read all the information in two seconds. That’s all the time you get as someone is driving by.

    Here’s everything you should have on your ad:

    1. Your smiling face – Never forget that Real Estate is a relationship-based business. People don’t develop relationships with words.

    2. Your name, obviously. But again, make sure it is a large, easy-to-read font. Do NOT use any weird or fine fonts that are hard to read.

    3. Your regulatory body probably requires your brokerage (in ALL your advertising), but nobody cares (sorry brokers), so make your brokerage name as small as is allowable, without being ridiculous. 

    4. Your cell number (NOT your office number!)

    5. Your website 

    6. A SHORT tagline. “Your Pleasantville Area Expert”  is excellent! Short, sweet, and it means something.

    “Call ________ for honest, professional advice and amazeballs customer service!” – Better to burn your money.  

    The worst mistake you can make on a bus bench ad is to clutter it up with useless banter that means nothing.

    If you’re curious to learn more about Geo Farming, please check out this previous article, The Accidental Geo Farmer.

  • Your Personal Brand Statement

    Your Personal Brand Statement

    Why do you “market” yourself?

    It’s to establish your BRAND.

    To be clear, your brand is not your logo, or your name, or your tagline. Those things represent your brand on the surface. But your brand is something much more profound. It’s the feeling that people have about you, what you represent, and why you are different.

    Your Personal Brand Statement should clearly articulate WHO you are, WHAT you stand for, and WHY you’re the reader’s best choice as a professional highly-skilled agent.

    For example:

    “Hi, I’m Ted. Over the past 14 years, I’ve completed over 1,000 successful Real Estate transactions, one at a time, with care and concern to create the best possible result for each individual client. That’s why I’m proud to say that almost all my business comes from repeats and referrals.”

    My personal brand statement is designed to appeal to every different communication style.

    Analyticals like the data about the number of transactions, and years of service. Drivers like that I’m direct and straight to the point. And, Expressives and Amiables both like how I talk about caring for my clients.

    (For more information on Communication Styles, here’s another recent blog article: Why Certain People Drive You Crazy.

    There’s also a subtle message behind mentioning that, “almost all my business comes from repeats and referrals.” It makes everyone think to themselves, “He must be great, or how could that be true?”

    That’s the subtle art of marketing – getting people to draw their own conclusion from a few simple words.

    My brand statement is only 50 words, but it’s a powerful 50 words.

    What about you? Are you able to clearly articulate why you’re the best choice as a professional Real Estate agent?

    This is not about inventing boring taglines that mean nothing, “Call me for honesty, integrity, and the best customer service!”

    If you’re building your brand around over-used clichés, your brand is weak. ☹️

    Sorry if that stung a bit!

    If you want a powerful brand, first learn how to actually BE a better agent, and then be able to articulate WHY.